


Doubles 1

by Janellez



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Gen, High School, M/M, Tennis AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-30
Updated: 2018-09-30
Packaged: 2019-07-20 16:36:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16141220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Janellez/pseuds/Janellez
Summary: Graduation is bittersweet. Even more so when you have to let go of something you've been holding on to so tightly.





	Doubles 1

**Author's Note:**

> there's a new live action of PoT and it gives me such a different feel from when Kanata Hongo played as Ryoma TT
> 
> i need to put this post concert feels somewhere
> 
>  
> 
> Sorry for any mistakes! Please enjoy :)

 

The heat is not helping Jeonghan at all. Not his performance in the set nor the turmoil of feelings in his chest.

 

Wiping off the sweat running down his chin with a towel, he conceals the way he grits his teeth in frustration.

 

-

 

_"What the hell is this Cheol?! Why the fuck am I in singles?" He slams the roster sheet on the desk._

 

_The team captain sighs, closing the team's record book and setting it aside before looking at Jeonghan properly._

 

 

_Frustration and a tinge of uncertainty was seen on his face but above all, confusion was the most evident and Seungcheol couldn't blame him. He felt the same only a bit more suprised when he was approached by a certain member with a request in the change of line-up._

 

 

_"Joshua was the one who asked for the switch."_

 

 

_"W-what?"_

 

-

 

Flinging off the towel on to the bench, Jeonghan breathed in and out, feeling his heart thunder in his chest. He stood as the umpire called an end to the break. Stretching his neck side to side, he jumped in place, trying to release the pent up tension in his body.

 

The court was hardly a place for these types of feelings after all.

 

Pocketing the other ball handed to him, he gripped on to the yellow felt firmly before taking position to serve, bouncing the ball thrice before gripping it again to throw into the air, his racket meeting it satisfyingly hard before it was smashed onto the opponent's side.

 

"Service ace!"

 

The other team's player could hardly even move to react to swing his racket, mouth open in awe from where the ball had left a mark on the court ground, just a few inches away from the service line.

 

Jeonghan didn't even notice though. His strong gaze was focused on a face a little further back into the crowd, lithe frame adorning the same jersey he was wearing.

 

'I'm going to end this match and you and I are going to have a talk.' Was what his eyes promised before breaking contact to resume his position to serve again.

  
-

 

"Game, set and match. Singles 3, Pledis!"

 

  
-

 

_"I don't play doubles, Cheol." Jeonghan drawled from his seat on the practice court reserved for the ranking matches, idly rolling a ball against his palms. "I was in singles matches the whole day. Where the hell did they get the idea that I wanted to be in doubles?"_

 

_Seungcheol snorted, picking up the stray yellow tennis balls and throwing them in a basket one by one as he sat beside his classmate. "We're only first years. You can't call your own shots yet. You're actually lucky that you're contending to be part of the regular line up despite just being a first year."_

 

_"Aww is that jealousy I hear?" Jeonghan teased, throwing the ball to hit his fellow first year lightly on the cheek._

 

_"Shut it. I'll make it next year."_ _Seungcheol scoffed, grabbing the ball irritatedly and throwing it inside the basket. "And I heard your supposed doubles partner is quite good. He made quite an impression on the seniors earlier."_

 

_"What_ I _heard was that he was from America. They're just awed at that tiny irrelevant tidbit, I'm sure he's nothing special. If anything he'll only get in my way."_

 

_Seungcheol laughed, eyes dancing with ill concealed amusement. "I bet you didn't even watch his match earlier huh?"_

 

_Jeonghan shrugged. "I was busy sleeping. The only match I'm interested in is my own."_

 

_"I have a feeling you're about to eat your own words." Seungcheol snorted._

 

 

_"What's his name anyway? Heard it was english."_

 

  
-

 

"Joshua." Jeonghan breathed, hair in a disheveled mess, heaving a bit after running around the whole venue thinking the other had left after his match.

 

Said male smiled softly, eyes bright and shiny like he had just cried, legs swinging as he sat on the ledge further away from the crowded courts. "Congrats on winning your match."

 

Jeonghan bit his lip. Blinking back the tears he didn't expect to make itself known. Hearing y _our_ match instead of _ours_ had felt like a harsh cold slap.

 

Joshua reached out his hand. "I know you're mad and you have every right to be but can we hold hands? I think we both need it."

 

Jeonghan gazed at Joshua for a second, eyes quietly searching for something before silently climbing up the steps, shrugging of his jacket along the way before draping it onto the other's shoulders and then sitting beside him, thighs pressed, hands finding each other and fingers slotting in just perfectly.

 

The sun was just starting to set, coloring the sky in soft oranges and pinks and blues. Gazing up, Jeonghan just felt tired all of a sudden but not because of the match.

 

"Why didn't you tell me you're leaving for America?"

 

"I'm telling you now, arent I." Joshua answered calmly.

 

"Me finding out by being shoved into playing singles instead of doubles because my supposed partner resigned without telling me is hardly telling me, Joshua!"

 

Jeonghan bit his lip and blinked back the tears. Noticing his hold on Joshua's hand grew tighter throughout his outburst and it took a second for him to realize that Joshua was gripping on to his as well, almost desperately.

 

A delicate silence settled over them then, only breaking when Jeonghan rubbed his thumb across Joshua's hand.

  
  
"When was your entrance exam, Jeonghan?" Joshua asked, voice was soft and slow, afraid that sobs might just spill out  of he were to speak any louder.

 

 

 

"I -- last weekend." Jeonghan answered just as silent.

 

 

"I got an offer from the states then too."

 

 

"W-what? Why didn't you tell me?" His voice slightly accusing but mostly suprised.

 

 

Joshua smiled, despite the hurt in Jeonghan's voice he could also hear the elated excitement. "You've been going crazy preparing for your entrance exam for college, Jeonghan. What kind of person would I be to add to that?"

 

"My boyfriend." Jeonghan answered withput missing a beat. "And more importantly my best friend too." He added.

 

Joshua choked, form hunching over as the tears flowed out. Jeonghan gathered him into his arms, leaning his cheek on Joshua's hair as his own tears broke free.

 

"Four years of highschool isn't enough." Joshua cried, gripping onto Jeonghan's jersey tightly as he sobbed, the grey, pink and blue fabric bunching up in his grip. "Two years with the team we have now isn't enough."

 

Jeonghan only held him tighter, his own tears running down his cheeks as he understood. He understood exactly what Joshua was feeling.

 

All the regrets and could have been doesn't matter anymore.

 

Being a senior meant graduation. It meant desperation to hold on to the best things about the present but having no choice but to force one foot into a future they know nothing about. It meant leaving their undergrads and entrusting the team on to them as they lay down their own rackets for a different path they've chosen.

 

When his own sobs had calmed down, Jeonghan reached for the arm of his jacket draped on Joshua's shoulder. Using it to wipe his own tears before offering it to Joshua, making him giggle .

 

 

 

"Well, we could have ended our tennis careers with one last tennis match."

 

 

"I thought about that too, but then it would really feel like the end if we did that." Joshua hummed. "Our last match together we won and we were only thinking about how fun it is and how much we want to win for the team. If we played one last together all I would be thinking is how this is the end and I don't wanna cry midmatch."

 

 

Jeonghan chuckled, hand tightening around Joshua's for a second. "I guess you're right."

 

"It was also high time for Seungkwan and Vernon to debut in a doubles match."

 

Jeonghan sighed. Recalling how the two freshmen were so ecstatic to finally play in a match today, he kinda feels guilty now for not being happy for them earlier.

 

 

"And I'm glad that Wonwoo and Jun are taking our place as doubles 1 when we graduate."

 

 

"Graduation huh." Jeonghan groaned before falling back to lay on the grass behind him, tugging Joshua along to lay with him.

 

"It's so fast. It feels like it was just yesterday when you hated my guts 'cause it was my fault you didn't play in singles."

 

Jeonghan spluttered, cheeks colored pink. "It wasn't like that! I was just shy."

 

"...Shy," Joshua deadpanned, side eyeing Jeonghan beside him. "When we first were introduced, I asked if you wanted to play one on one with me to practice and you said no, that I was _waaay_ out of your league. Even until now we've never played."

 

"Well," Jeonghan huffed, willing his blush to go away. "Now I'm the one way out of your league."

 

"That's true." Joshua smiled hearing Jeonghan squawk indignantly.

 

 

"I'd say yes now though."

 

 

"Hmm?"

 

"If you want to play one on one, I'd gladly humor you this time."

 

"Really?"

 

"Yeap." Jeonghan replied, popping the p. "I have my work cut out for me. I have to remind you about how great of a player and boyfriend I am so you won't forget me all the way from America."

 

Joshua stared at Jeonghan's face for a second before leaning in and leaving him a lingering kiss on the cheek. "I won't forget. I'll be back, I promise."

 

"You better come back because I'll definitely be waiting."

 

-

 

_"I know it's a bit unconventional but let's try a match out against the seniors, yeah? and then we'll see."_

 

 

_It was both unexpected and exhilarating for Jeonghan._

 

_The sound of shoes running and scruffing the ground, the feel of the ball rallying between his racket and the court and the excited thunder of his heart in his chest._

 

_He had it all completely wrong. It was entirely different from what he was expecting. Right of the bat, being in a doubles pair with Joshua meant having someone to support your weaknesses with their strengths. It meant having someone to rely on other than your own self. It meant sharing both the great pressure and trust in each other._

 

_Jeonghan loved it._

 

_It was when the game was over, four games to two in the senior's favor that Joshua approached Jeonghan who was lying on the ground like a starfish, hair damp with sweat, panting from the exertion of the game._

 

_"Jeonghan..." Joshua panted out, his own heart trying to break out of his chest. "--look I'm sorry we lost I-- I understand if you don't wanna be doubles partn--"_

_"No!'' Jeonghan had completely shoot up then, wide eyes open, hand shooting out to grip onto joshuas "I-- you-- me-- doubles. You-- you and me are doubles partners now."_

 

_Joshua felt relief wash over him, a blinding smile taking over his face, gripping onto Jeonghan's hand back as well._

 

_"Okay. Partners."_

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Ryoma: MADA MADA DANE
> 
> me: I KNOW RYOMA I KNOW TT^TT
> 
>  
> 
>  i only know how to end stories cheesily hehe
> 
>  
> 
> Thank you for reading! I hope everyone has a nice day/night! :))


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